Improvement in electro-magnetic printing apparatus



G. HILLEN & J. GROGKETT. Electro-Magnetic Printing-Apparatus.

No. 202,650. P atented April 23,1878.

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GEORGE HILLEN AND JOHN OROOKETT, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC PRINTING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,650, dated April23, 1878; application filed February 26, 1878.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE HILLEN and JOHN CROGKETT, both of the city,county, and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedElectro-Magnetie Printing Apparatus, of which the following is aspecificae tion:

Figure 1 is 'a plan or top View of our improved electro-magneticprinting apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of thesame, taken on the plane of the line 0 c, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse section of the same, taken on the plane of the line is k,Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail edge view of the paper-feed mechanism andFig. 5, a diagram showing the,

arrangement of the conductors.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

The object of this invention is to produce a simple apparatus forprinting messages by means of electricity, the apparatus being moreparticularly intended for use in large salesrooms to announce moneyreceived by the subordinates, who are expected to telegraph from theirproper desks or counters to a central bureau or office the amountsreceived by them as soon as such amounts are handed in.

The invention consists principally in a new arrangement of mechanism forfeeding the inking-strip, and also in the new relative arrangement ofthe paper and inking-strip.

In the accompanying drawing, the letter A represents the bed-plate orplatform of the apparatus. B is an electro-magnet, placed upon thisplatform and 0 its armature, which, by a suitable pawl, a, andratchet-wheel b, serves to impart intermittent rotary motion to a drum,D, over which the strip of paper E to be printed upon is placed. Aspring-roller, F, presses the paper E against the periphery of theroller or drum D.

The operation of the armature O is such that whenever the electro-magnetB is charged or placed in circuit, and the armature attached, it willnot affect the feed of the wheel; but as soon as the armature isreleased by the interruption of the current it will cause the pawl tomove the feed-drum D, and with it the paper, a sufficient distance tomake room for a new impression or imprint.

Upon the platform A are also placed a series of electro-magnets, G G G GG G G Gr G G G, &c. The armature L of each of these electro-magnetsconnects, by a link, d, with a separate lever, H, which is aprintinglever, and which, in its normal position, is, by a spring, 1',held elevated, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3; but whenever the armatureL, connecting with such lever H, is attracted to its electro-magnet, thelever connected is swung down to carry its free end toward the strip ofpaper E. The free end of every such lever H carries a type-block, f,which, when the lever is swung down, as stated, is brought into positionfor making an imprint on the paper E. The paper, at the place where itis to be printed by these levers H, passes over a block or cushion, I,which is secured in the frame or platform A, being supported by asuitable standard or column. Over the same cushion passes, above thestrip of paper E, and at right angles thereto, the inking-strip J, whichis an endless band of inked fabric, passing over rollers g and h, asindicated in Fig. 3.

The levers H are so placed, and of such lengths. that when depressed orswung down they will press the inking-strip J upon the paper E directlyabove the cushion I. When a message is to be sent it is only necessaryto strike the key, which throws one of the armaturesL into circuit, andthereby causes the corresponding lever H to imprint its type on to thestrip of the paper E but it is also necessary that, immediately afterthe act of printing, the strip E be properly fed. To this end we placethe electro-magnet B into circuit with all the several electro-magnetsG1 G2 G 850., and also with the battery K, as clearly indicated in Fig.5, so that whenever one of the keys of the keyboard is depressed toconnect the battery-wire with the conductor leading to such key, thecorresponding electro-magnet-say, (l -will be thrown into circuit, butalso the electro-magnet B, as the same is placed in the same circuit,which clearly appears from Fig. 5. The same remarks apply to each of theelectromagnets G G &c., the efl'ect being simply that, by depressing akey, the corresponding type is caused to print, and the paper immediately afterward is fed to bring a clean surface under the next type.

The important difference in the efi'ect of the electro-magnets B and Gis this: That each of the electro-magnets G, &c., by attracting itsarmature, moves the corresponding lever H and causes the same to print;but that the armature 0, when attracted to the electromagnet B, does notfeed the paper, for it is so constructed and combined with the drum Dthat it feeds the paper only when released from the electro-magnet B,thus giving the requisite time for the paper to receive its imprintbefore it is fed. And here we beg to remark, that although we haveshown, as one means of feeding the paper E, the rotary drum D, yet othermeans for performing the same service may be used instead; that one ofthe armatures, L, which pertains to the electromagnet G", and whichconnects with the lever H, that prints the period has also a pawl, j,which engages a ratchet-wheel, I, that is rigidly attached to the drumh, over which the inkingstrip J is laid, as indicated in Fig. 3.

Whenever a sentence or a message is completed, whether the same be infigures or in words, the application of the final period through theattraction of the armature to the magnet G will always cause thedisplacement of the inking-strip, so that a fresh inking-surface may bein position over the paper for every new message or report. Byhaving thestrips E and J at right angles, the paper E is kept clean, and the stripJ used economically.

We claim- 1. The combination of the elcctro-magnet G and its armature Land printing-lever H, which marks the period, with the pawl j,ratchet-wheel l, and with the drum h and inking-strip J, all arranged sothat the inkingstrip is moved whenever the period is printed,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the printing-levers H H and paper E with theinking-strip J and cushion I, and with independent and separate feedingdevices for the paper E and strip J, the strip J being placed at rightangles to the paper, substantially as specified.

GEORGE HILLEN. J OHN OROGKETT. Witnesses T. B. MOSHER, F. v. BBLESEN.

